Machine for coating can ends



Dec- 26, 1939- A. l.. KRoNQuEsT 2,185,089

MACHINE FOR COATING CAN ENDS Filed June l1, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 X VET OR. BY MMYGP ATTORNEY $5 Dec. 26, 1939. A. KRoNQuEsT MACHINE FOR COATING CAN ENDS 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June ll, 1937 06 7 ZK MW 43kg i y ,0 o fda Mw .0 a P M INVENTOR.

Dec. 26, 1939. A, L, KRONQUEsf 2,185,089

MACHINE FOR COATING CAN ENDS Filed June l1, 1937 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS De@ 26, 1939. A. l.. KRoNQuEsT 2,185,089

MACHINE FOR COATING CAN ENDS Filed June ll, 1937 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 IIIIIIII 76 O s J l23 ATTORNEYrS Dec. 26, 1939. A. L. KRoNQUEsT 2,185,089

MACHINE FOR COATING CAN ENDS Filed June 1l, 1937 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEYJ Dec. 26, 1939. A, L KRQNQUEST 2,185,089

MACHINE FOR COATING CAN ENDS Filed June ll, 1937 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 l @IW E 97 l I7 J M I g. b I i :I /Mz iil i I I l i J |`l l ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 26, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MACHINE FOR COATING CAN ENDS Application June 11, 1937, Serial No. 147,181

13 Claims.

manufacture of beer cans, for example, such a machine may be used for coating the inside of the can end with enamel to prevent the contents of the can, after it is filled, from coming intocontact with the metallic surface.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved machine whereby a succession of can ends may be caused to travel along a predetermined path, during which travel a uniform coating is automatically applied to the inside surface of each can end. From this machine, the can ends are delivered one by one to the drier.

. A further object of the invention is to provide a machine in which the can ends are successively and progressively engaged by a suitable coating applicator Without interruption of thelr continuous travel through the machine.

The invention consists further in various constructional features and combinations which will be more particularly explained in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a plan view of the machine with parts broken away or shown'in section.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken approximately on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectlonal View taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken through the coating roller, coatlng tank and drain tank, with a portion of the revolving main turret shown in elevation.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical sectionalview taken axially of one of the spinner spindles, with a can end attached to the spinner head.

In accordance wlth the invention, a turret I0 receives the can ends II one by one from a stack I2, in which they are initially placed, and delivers them to a transfer turret I3, by which they are in turn delivered to a main turret I4. vWhile the can ends are h eld by the main turret I4, they receive the desired coating and are thereupon delivered to a discharge turret I5, by which they are discharged from the machine.

A motor I6 mounted on the machine base I1 carries a sprocket I8. This sprocket isconnscted by a chain I9 to a sprocket 20 secured to the main shaft ,2l of the machine, which is mounted ln suitable bearings in a casting 22 secured to the base I1. A sprocket 23 secured to the shaft 2l is connected by a chain 24 to a sprocket 25 on a shaft 26 to drive the latter, which is also mounted in suitable bearings in the casting 22.

A cam wheel 21 secured to the shaft 2 6 is formed with a cam groove 2 8 and a plunger 29, l vertically disposed beneath the stack of can ends f II, carries a roller 30 which is guided in the groove 28 to control the movement of the plunger. The plunger carries a vacuum cup 3I at its upper end. A vacuum line 32 is connected into the l housing 33 and, when the plunger is raised, this vacuum-communicates with the duct 34 in the plunger and pulls a can end .II from the stack Into a circular guide track 35.. As the plunger is lowered, the vacuum cup is vented through the port 36 in the housing, and the can end is seated in front of a finger 31 on the turret I0 and is free .1f to be moved along the guide track 35. The turret I0 is secured to a shaft 38 which is journalled in the casting 22 and driven by bevel gear- 20 ing 39 from the shaft 26.

The transfer turretl I3 is secured to a shaft 40, which is fjournalled in the casting 22 and is drlven by bevel gearing 4I from the shaft 26, in a direction opposite to the turret` I0. As the can end arrives at the inner end ofthe track 35, it engages the end of a circular track 42 concentric with the turret I3. The can end is then pushed by the finger 31 into one of the pockets 43 formed in the turret I3 and is carried by the lat- 30 ter toward the main turret I4.

The main turret I4 is secured to a central hub 44, whlch is supported by a thrust bearing 45 for rotation about a hollow standard 46 secured to the casting 22. A vertical shaft 41 driven by 86 bevel gearing 48 from the main shaft 2I has at its upper end a pinion 49 which engagesperiph' eral teeth 50 on the turret I4 to drivethe latter.

As shown in Fig. 6, a series of bearing members 5I are secured to the rim of the turret I4 and in 40 each of these members a sp`ndle 52 is supported in ball bearings 53 and carries at its lower end a spinning head 54 in the form of a vacuum cup adapted to receive a can end. 'I'he interior of the head 54, through an axial duct 55 in the spindle 45 and a tube 56, is adapted to be brought into communication with a vacuum chamber 51 in the head 58 which is secured to the top of the standard 46 and connected in a Well known manner to a source of vacuum.`

A head 59 in the pocket 43 is secured to va vertically reciprocable plunger 69 carried by the# turret. The bottom of this plunger carries a roller 5I which rides on a. cam track62. When the can end in the pocket 43 arrives at a. position 5i inline between the axis of the main turret I4 and the axis of the transfer turret I8, as shown in Fig. l, it is directly beneath one of the spinner heads 54 and the roller riding at this time ory/ 5 the raised portion of the track 62 has lifted the can end into contact with the spinner head. At

this time, too, the inner end of the tube 56 connected with that spinning head comes into communication with the vacuum chamber 51 and the head 54 picks up `the can end, as shown in Fig. 6, and carries it through and past the coating tank 10. K

A coating roller 1| in the tank 10 is secured to a shaft 12, which is rotatably mounted in a suitable bearing 13 secured in the wall of the tank.

For driving the roller shaft 12, a sprocket 14 secured to the shaft 2| is connected by a chain 15 to a sprocket 16 secured to the shaft 12.

The coating roller runs in a bath of the coating 20 material and the convex surface 11 thereof is shaped to conform to the surface of the end to be coated, so that all parts of the latter make contact with the rotating roller and are completely coated. A scraper 18 is provided to scrape off all hardened uid from the roller.

As the turret |4 rotates about its axis, the spinner heads 54, with the can ends held thereby, are successively carried through an opening 19 into the coating vtank 10 into contact with the coating roller 1| and thence through openings 80 and 8| from the coating tank into a drain tank 82 which is in the shape of a trough extending in a circle about the major portion of the turret and is provided with an outlet 83. Slots 84 and 85 85 for the spindles 52r are provided in the tops of the respective tanks 10 and 82.

Each spindle 52 has al pulley 86 secured to its upper end and provided with a V-shaped groove 81. As the spinner head 54 leaves the coating tank 10 and enters the drain tank 82, the pulley 86 is engaged bya belt 88,'which passes about a drive pulley 89 secured to the shaft 90 of a separate motor 9| mounted on the turret cover 92.

'I'he pulley 86 engages the belt 88 only after it has passed thecoating roller '1| and after the spinner head 54 has entered the drain tank 82. The spinner head then begins to rotate about its own axis and throws the excess uid into the drain tank. 'A level of liquid coating material is maintained in the drain tank to prevent the surplus iiuid from building up a heavy coating on the inside thereof, which might clog the machine.

'Ihe discharge turret I5 is secured to a shaft 95 and is provided with peripheral pockets 96 which receive the successive can ends as they are released bythe spinner heads 54. l The shaft 95 is driven bysprocket gearing 91 from a sprocket 98 on the shaft 2|. When a can end carried by a spinner head 54 is moved into a pocket 96, the vacuum line is cut oif from the spinner head as the inner end of the tube 56 passes beyond the end of the vacuum chamber 51 to a vent 99 (Fig. 1) and the can end, thus released from the spinner head, is moved by the rotation of the turret I5 along the circular track |00 and discharged from the machine into a suitable drier (not shown).

' The upper end of each spindle 52 is connected to thetube 56 by a hood |0| which is supported by the spindle and is provided with a bushing |02 for the upper end of the spindle. This bushing is composed of material that will absorb or be penetrated lby oil, which is supplied through an oil hole |03. The hood is prevented from rotating with the spindle by an arm |04 which engages a 75 pin |05 projecting upwardlyfrom the rim of the turret. This prevents possible breakage of the tube 58, but permits the hood to be easily slipped off of the spindle, in case the vacuum line becomes clogged.

Th spinner head 54 is of metal, preferably aluminum, and the can end has a metal to metal contact therewith. No absolutely air tight joint is necessary, since the vacuum creating means is necessarily of large capacity, so that it is capable of holding a single can end against its spinning head atthe beginning or end of arun, when no other spinner head is carrying af can end.

In the operati'on of this machine, the spinner heads 54 are rotated by the motor 9| through the medium of the belt 8 8, while all the other moving parts of the machine are driven by the motor I8 through the main drive shaft 2|. Each rotation of the shaft 28 and the cam wheel 21 causes a reciprocation of the vacuum cup 8|, which pulls a can end from the stack to the track in front of one of the fingers 81 of the turret I0. 'I'he can end then travels continuously without interruption through the machine, where its inner surface is completely coated and the excess coating removed. It is delivered by the turret |0 to the transfer turret I8 and byJ the latter to one of the spinner heads 54 carried by the main turret I4. While held by the spinner head, it is carried first through the coating tank 10, Where a coating is applied by the roller 1|, and then through the drain tank 82. Each spinner head is rapidly rotated on its own axis by the belt 88, during substantially its entire travel through the drain tank, so that all excess coating fluid is removed from the surface coated. As the can end leaves the drain tank, its spinner head ceases to rotate, the can end is released therefrom and is delivered to the turret I5, which discharges it from the machine.

While I have described in detail one construction in which the invention may be embodied, it is to be understood that this is merely for the purpose of illustration, and that the invention also includes such modifications as may be embraced within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Pat- A ent, is-

1. In a machine for coating can ends, a series of spinner heads on which the can ends are individually carried, said heads being bodily movable continuously in a predetermined orbit, means rotatable about an axis substantially at right angles to the direction of bodily travel of the spinning heads for contacting with and coating each can end so carried Without interrupting its travel, and independently driven means for spinning. the headscarrying the can ends after the latter are coated, to remove excess liquid therefrom.

2. In a machine for coating can ends, a coating" tank, a coating roller rotatable therein, a drain tank, a rotatable main turret. means carried by said turret to support the can ends and carry them first through the coating tank and then through the drain tank, means for rotating the coating rollergin contact with each can end and in synchronism withA the movement thereof through the coating tank, and means for spinning the head, as it carries a ,can end through, the drain tank, to remove excess liquid from'the can end.

3. In a machine for coating can ends, means .for moving the can ends continuously and successively along a predetermined path, a coating roller with which each can end contacts during such continuous movement, said roller-having a surface conforming to the surface to be coated, means for positively rotating the coating roller in synchronism with the progressive movement of the can end past said roller, and independently driven means for spinning the can end, during its continuous travel and after it leaves the coating roller, to remove excess coating liquid therefrom.

4. In a machine for coating can ends, a series of spinner heads on which the can ends are individually carried, means for bodily moving said spinner heads continuously in a predetermined orbit, a roller adapted to rotate in a bath of coating material and contacting with each can end as it is carried by a spinner head without interrupting its continuous travel, means for rotating said roller in synchronism with the travel `of said spinner heads, and independentlydriven means for spinning said heads, during their continuous travel after they leave the coatingroller, to remove excess liquid from the can ends.

5. In a machine for coating can ends, a main turret, means for rotating said turret, a series of spinner heads revoluble with said turret and each provided with a vacuum cup adapted to support a can end, means for connecting a vacuum chamber with said cup to support a can end, means for coating the can end as it is carried by the vacuum cup without interrupting the movement thereof, and means for subsequently venting the vacuum cup to the atmosphere to release the can end, independently driven means to spin each' head before the can end is released therefrom to remove excess liquid from the can end.

6. In a machine for coating can ends, means for moving the can ends continuously and successively along a predetermined path, a coating roller contacting with the can ends during a part of their travel, and independently driven means for spinning the can ends, after they leave the roller, to removeexcess coating liquid therefrom.

7. In a machine for coating can ends, a coating tank, a coating roller therein, a drain tank,

means for causing successive lcan ends to travel by a continuous movement first through the coating tank in contact with the coating roller and then through the drain tank, means for rotating the coating roller continuously in synchronism with the travel of the can ends, and means for spinning the can ends as they travel through the drain tank, to remove excess coating therefrom.

8. In a machine for coating can ends, a series of heads each provided with a cup adapted to support a can end by vacuum therein, means for bodily moving said heads with the can ends thereon through a predetermined path, means for applying a coating to the can ends ,during the first part of such movement, and means for removing surplus coating therefrom during the latter part of such movement.

9. In a machine for coa ing can ends, a continuously rotatable turret, a series of heads carried by said turret and movable in a circular path as the turret rotates, each head being provided with a cup adapted to support a can end by vacuum therein, means for applying a coating to the can ends during the rst part of their circular travel, and means for subsequently spinning said heads, while the can ends are still supported thereon by vacuum, to remove surplus coating from said can ends.

10. In a machine for coating can ends, a series of spinner heads each provided with means for supporting a can end, means for bodily moving said heads continuously in a predetermined orbit, a pulley secured to each of said heads, a rapidly rotating driving pulley, a belt arranged with the driving pulley in one bight and the series of traveling pulleys in the other bight, whereby each of the heads will be spun to remove excess coating from the can end carried thereby, as its pulley is .engaged by said belt, and means for applying coating to the can end before its head is rotated by the belt.

11. In a machine for coating can ends, a continuously rotatable turret, a series of spinner heads carried by said turret and movable in a circular path as the turret rotates, means on each head to support a can end, a pulley secured to each head, a rapidly rotating drive pulley, a belt arranged with the drive pulley in one bight and the series of turret-carried pulleys in the vother bight, whereby each of the heads will be spun to remove excess coating from the can end carried thereby, as its pulley is engaged by the belt, and means for applying coating liquid to the can end before its head is rotated by the belt.

12. In a machine for coating can ends, a series of spinner heads each provided with a cup adapted to support a can end by vacuum therein, means for bodily moving said heads continuously in a predetermined orbit, a pulley secured to each of said heads, a rapidly rotating drive pulley, a belt arranged with the drive pulley in one bight and the series of traveling pulleys in the other bight, whereby each of the heads will be spun to remove excess coating from the can end carried thereby, as its pulley is engaged b'y said belt, and means for applying coating to the can end while it is supported by said head and before it is rotated by the belt.

13. In a machine for coating can ends, a continuously rotatable turret, a series of spinner heads carried by said turret and movable in a circular path as the turret rotates, each spinner head being provided wtih a cup adapted to support a can end by vacuum therein, a pulley secured to each head, a rapidly rotating drive pulley, a belt arranged with the drive pulley in one bight and the series of turret-carried pulleys in the other bight, whereby each of the heads will be spun to remove excess coating from the can end carried thereby, as its pulley is engaged by the belt, and means for applying coating liquid to the can end before its head is rotated by the belt.

AIFRED L. KRONQUEST. 

